The Apex franchise has been a longstanding and successful one for Callaway Golf. The 2024 MB, CB, and Pro all tested well for us earlier this year, but in this review, I will be looking at the new Apex Ai300 irons to see if they can sit amongst the best irons of 2024.
In terms of technology, Callaway is offering a forged hollow body combined with a forged 455 face, strategically positioned MIM weighting, and a dynamic sole design to ensure enhanced turf interaction and provide more forgiveness through the ground. With a 7-iron loft of 29˚ the Ai300 is very much a distance-orientated iron, but its dimensions make it clear that it is looking to rival some of the best game-improvement irons in the game.
From a visual perspective, the Ai300 looks extremely sophisticated and premium from a shelf appeal point of view disguising some more ‘game improvement’ characteristics in the playing position. There is a very predominant offset that will please many and the top edge certainly lets you know that you have got a good bit of mass to work with. The whole Apex family this time around offers a real cohesion in terms of the aesthetics, so much so that as a tester you actually have to look quite hard sometimes to know which iron model you are picking out!
Performance-wise, they stack up well against some of the other big names in the game improvement iron category such as the Ping G730 or the TaylorMade Qi irons, offering predictably strong distance output and a nice lively feel at impact. Despite the strong lofts, they are very easy to launch and the newly designed sole provides a nice, smooth turf interaction.
I found a fairly predominant left bias during testing which could be attributed to the significantly additional offset than I am used to, but this will please many high handicap players who struggle with a right miss.
In my review of this irons sibling the Ai200, I highlighted that I felt that particular model was somewhat redundant, and that I didn’t feel that Callaway needed two models to bridge the gap between Apex Pro and the Ai Smoke irons. That is because I feel the Ai300 irons do that job perfectly well on their own.
The game improvement performance coupled with a more sophisticated look than Ai Smoke presents the perfect pathway between Apex Pro and Ai Smoke for me, and anyone looking to upgrade their game improvement set should take a good look at the Apex Ai300. One thing that maybe does mitigate my thoughts on the Ai200 model is that those who prefer a slightly neater look in the short irons could create a really nice combo set with the two Apex Ai models.
The Apex Ai300 irons will be available at an RRP of $1400/£1199 for a 7-piece set with irons between 4 and A wedge on offer. The stock steel shaft offering will be a Dynamic Gold True Temper Mid 100, and the graphite option will be a UST Recoil Dart 80. The stock grip will be a Golf Pride Z-Grip.
